Health top brass have refused to deny looming problems with intensive care cover at Ayr Hospital.
It follows an internal leak to the Ayrshire Post, highlighting a potential shortage of anaesthetic staff.
It’s understood bosses have looked at calling on colleagues at Crosshouse to make up the shortfall.
But the Post has been told staff there have suggested ICU at Ayr closes and transfers up the road to Kilmarnock.
Our source, who spoke on the grounds of anonymity, said: “Crosshouse have been asked if they would help by sending staff to cover some shifts.
“Crosshouse have replied by suggesting ICU at Ayr closes and ICU at Crosshouse expands their beds at a cost of thousands of pounds.
“This would leave Ayr with no ICU.
“How can they put patients’ lives at risk by transferring them to an ICU 20 miles away?
“How can there be an A&E department without an ICU?
“And how can they run a theatre without an ICU?”
When the concerns were put to health bosses at NHS Ayrshire & Arran, they admitted services are “regularly reviewed”.
But they denied any plans are in place to close ICU at either Ayr or Crosshouse.
Crawford McGuffie, Joint Medical Director, said: “All services within NHS Ayrshire & Arran are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are operating safely and effectively, and providing the highest quality care.
“This is also true of the critical care provision within the Board.
“There are no plans to remove critical care provision from either Ayr or Crosshouse.”
